Anaheim, Calif. –Merry holiday moments from Disney theme parks around the world and a star-studded cast of entertainers will launch a “25 Days of Christmas” countdown when “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” airs Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, from 9:00–11:00 p.m. EST on The ABC Television Network.

The magical two-hour event will be hosted by Emmy® Award-winner JulianneHough, multiplatinum recording artist and television personality Nick Lachey, and sports star, broadcast correspondent and commentator Jesse Palmer.The show will give viewers a front-row seat to a Disney Christmas party like no other – a family holiday tradition brimming with colorful lights, snow flurries, memorable music and more. From the Cinderella Castle stage at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Hough and Lachey will perform a spectacular opening number named for the primetime special.

Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel will join fellow “Frozen” star Kristen Bell to perform together for the first time on primetime television. The pair, who voiced the characters of Elsa and Anna in the animated blockbuster, will perform in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park in California accompanied by a 30-voice choir. The two stars of stage and screen will sing “When We’re Together” from the brand-new Walt Disney Animation Studios featurette, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.”

The holiday special’s other unforgettable, wish-come-true moments will include an extraordinary castle lighting extravaganza from Disney theme parks around the world – traveling the globe from California and Florida to Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

A Sneak Peek at New Star Wars– and Toy Story-Themed Lands

The force will be with all who tune in for a sneak peek at Disney’s new Star Wars-themed lands, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opening at both Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2019. The new lands promise adventure on a galactic scale when guests steer the Millennium Falcon on a customized secret mission in one attraction and engage in a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance in another.

From the edge of the galaxy “to infinity and beyond,” viewers will discover Andy’s world in the new Toy Story Land to open next year at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The new family-friendly Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and the Alien Swirling Saucers attraction will join the original Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction to give Woody, Buzz and Andy’s entire toy collection a backyard play land scaled to render park guests seemingly toy-sized.

Musical performances in the primetime special will include:

Ciara will perform a joyful Christmas medley, including “Jingle Bells” and “Jingle Bell Rock” from a sparkling Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort.

Fitz and the Tantrums will perform their platinum-certified hit, “HandClap,” and their original Christmas song, “Santa Stole My Lady.”

Multi-Grammy-nominated trio Hanson will light up the night singing “Finally It’s Christmas,” from their recently released Christmas album.

Boy band In Real Life will sing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

Multiplatinum powerhouse Jason Derulo will perform “This Christmas.”

Viewers at Home Will Be Able to “Glow with the Show”

For the first time, viewers will be able to “Glow at Home” during select performances in the holiday special, thanks to the brand new “Made with Magic® 3.0: Connected Ear Hat” and the Shop Disney Parks app. Leveraging Bluetooth® technology, the Shop Disney Parks app enables viewers wearing the new 3.0 edition ear hats at home to sync with the ABC holiday special playing on the viewers’ TVs or other devices. Viewers will feel like they are part of the show.

The app also has a remote-control feature to adjust the ear colors and speed of the strobe – a brand-new feature for the Made with Magic® Ear Hats. If viewers at home don’t have the special edition ear hats, not to worry. The Shop Disney Parks app will allow them to enjoy a second screen experience as their mobile phone comes alive, mirroring the spectacle on-screen during select performances. The Made with Magic® 3.0: Connected Ear Hat and the interactive ear hat remote control feature on the Shop Disney Parks app will both be available Nov. 17.

Holiday magic is endless as Disney theme parks transform into winter wonderlands filled with seasonal attractions, joyful entertainment, festive décor and special treats that make every day feel like a holiday. The spirit of the season shines even brighter in these magical places where families share traditions and make memories together.

As night falls on Hogsmeade village, the familiar sounds of Harry Potter music will resonate throughout “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Multiple times an evening, colorful projection mapping will illuminate Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.”From stockings to ornaments, the addition of specialty keepsakes and gift-giving items complement the land’s immersive holiday festivities as the theme park continues to envelope guests in the captivating world of Harry Potter. A wide selection of all-new custom-made Christmas ornaments created especially for “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” are available this holiday season.Hogsmeade village also shines brightly as the quaint town celebrates with festive décor uniquely themed to each of the individual storefronts, along with holiday-themed fare served at Three Broomsticks and the eagerly-awaited seasonal return of hot Butterbeer.

The evening program introduced Karen Irwin, President & COO, Universal Studios Hollywood, as she welcomed the land’s new holiday festivities. Following an original a cappella Frog Choir performance of “Christmas at Hogwarts,” Irwin and a group of children—clad in attire representing each of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry houses—wielded wands and cast a spell that revealed the light projection spectacular: “The Magic of Christmas at HogwartsTM Castle.” “We are delighted to welcome ‘Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ as a new Universal Studios Hollywood holiday tradition,” said Karen Irwin. “Millions of guests visiting from around the world have already experienced the incredible offerings of this immersive land. This exciting new holiday program further expands the Harry Potter universe by bringing some of the holiday spirit from the films to life for guests to experience for themselves.”

The all-new “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” experience will take place daily from November 24, 2017 through January 7, 2018. Hogsmeade village also shines brightly as the quaint town celebrates with festive décor uniquely themed to each of the individual storefronts, along with holiday-themed fare served at Three Broomsticks and the eagerly-awaited seasonal return of hot Butterbeer. The newly-introduced Holiday Dinner features a sumptuous roast turkey with gravy platter that includes pigs in blankets, a medley of vegetables, braised red cabbage and roasted potatoes served with cranberry sauce, along with Christmas Pudding.

As night falls on Hogsmeade village, the familiar sounds of Harry Potter music will resonate throughout “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Multiple times an evening, colorful projection mapping will illuminate Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.” The a cappella Frog Choir, comprised of Hogwarts students and their giant throaty frogs, will also perform original holiday themed songs over the course of the seasonal event.

From stockings to ornaments, the addition of specialty keepsakes and gift-giving items complement the land’s immersive holiday festivities as the theme park continues to envelope guests in the captivating world of Harry Potter. A wide selection of all-new custom-made Christmas ornaments created especially for “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” are available this holiday season. Collectibles include a variety of decorative Hogwarts castle snow globes, Hogwarts crest and mascot ornaments representing each of the houses, as well as a collection of unique tree toppers and house pennant garland.

Wizard robes and wands and an array of Quidditch game accessories are perfect for gift-giving. Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters that were brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood is a masterful recreation, faithful to the visual landscape of the films, including its iconic focal point, Hogwarts castle.

From its snow-capped roofs and cobblestone streetsto the historic British sensibilities that characterize the whimsical look and feel of the land, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” transports guests of all ages to the very places they watched on the silver screen. The architecturally stunning land also includes the captivating and highly acclaimed “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” thrill ride, now enhanced with 4K-HD and ride film projecting at an astounding rate of 120 frames-per-second for an even more immersive glimpse into Harry Potter’s world, as well as “Flight of the Hippogriff™,” Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor family coaster. “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” resonates with immense detail, inviting guests to revel in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World with the opportunity to enjoy authentic food and beverages at multiple locations, including Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head pub, as well as the Magic Neep and Butterbeer™ carts. A foray through the shops adds to the authenticity of the land with nine retail venues and locations, including Honeydukes™, Ollivanders™, Owl Post™, Zonko’s™ Joke Shop, Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment, Dervish and Banges™, Gladrags Wizardwear, Filch’s Emporium™ of Confiscated Goods and the Hogsmeade™ Station.

Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-life interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. Recent additions include “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™,”Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor rollercoaster.

Other immersive lands include “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” as well as “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons RideTM” and the “The Walking Dead” daytime attraction. The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest and busiest movie and television studio where they can also experience such authentic and immersive thrill rides as “Fast & Furious—Supercharged.”

About Warner Bros. Entertainment: Warner Bros. Entertainment is a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across all current and emerging media and platforms. A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product, and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.

The meaningful “Day of Giving” event is a yearly Universal Studios Hollywood tradition designed to connect employees with diverse community organizations, many of which are beneficiaries of the Discover A Star Foundation whose mission is to empower individuals and families to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.A fun time was had by all who participated in the Day of Giving on Nov. 9, 2017.

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – In support of its 13th annual “Day of Giving” community outreach program, Universal Studios Hollywood inspires hundreds of employee volunteers to help make a difference to six Los Angeles-based non-profit organizations and nearly 300 underprivileged children on Thursday, November 9, 2017.

The meaningful “Day of Giving” event is a yearly Universal Studios Hollywood tradition designed to connect employees with diverse community organizations, many of which are beneficiaries of the Discover A Star Foundation whose mission is to empower individuals and families to lead more productive and fulfilling lives.

As the events take place throughout the Southland, Universal Studios Hollywood will serve as home base for one of the six locations, hosting Operation School Bell.

In tandem with festivities at the park, the day-long event will also deploy hundreds of employee volunteers around Los Angeles to help support community-building efforts.

Supported by Universal Studios Hollywood, Discover A Star Foundation is committed to making a significant impact in local underserved communities by providing grants to deserving non-profit organizations. Originally founded in 1995, Discover A Star’s mission is to provide financial assistance to neighboring nonprofit groups. To date, Discover A Star Foundation has raised over $9 million and provided financial assistance to over 65 non-profit organizations.

Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-life interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. Recent additions include “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™,“Universal Studios Hollywood’s first outdoor rollercoaster. Other immersive lands include “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” as well as “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride™” and the “The Walking Dead” daytime attraction. The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest and busiest movie and television studio where they can also experience such authentic and immersive thrill rides as “Fast & Furious-Supercharged.” The adjacent Universal CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex also includes the all-new multi-million dollar, redesigned Universal CityWalk Cinema, featuring deluxe recliner seating in screening room quality theatres, and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert stage.

Updated Nov. 9, 2017

A fun time was had by all who participated in the Day of Giving on Nov. 9, 2017.

A fun time was had by all who participated in the Day of Giving on Nov. 9, 2017.